Lakes International Comic Art Festival Tickets On Sale Now

By John Freeman on July 11, 2016

Lakes International Comic Art Festival Art 2016 by Ken Niimura

Tickets for the main events at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival are on sale now – and a special “Clash of the Toon Titans“, pitting Tintin against Asterix, will launch this year’s weekend-long celebrations in October.

Bryan Lee O’Malley

Guests at this year’s Festival (14th – 16th October 2016) include Charlie Adlard (artist on The Walking Dead), Jordi Bernet (Torpedo and Jonah Hex), Rufus Dayglo (2000AD‘s “Bad Company”, Last Gang in Town), Isabel Greenberg (The Encyclopedia of Early Earth), Joe Kelly (I Kill Giants, Deadpool), Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgrim, Seconds), Luke McGarry and Steve McGarry, Mick McMahon (2000AD), Leah Moore and John Reppion, artist and Festival art designer Ken Niimura, Paco Roca, best known for his award-winning graphic novel Wrinkles, and Craig Thompson, creator of Blankets.

Craig Thompson

For the Opening Night Comics Clash, putting the case for Belgium’s world-famous boy detective Tintin is Dr Benoît Peeters, novelist, philosopher, Professor of Comics at Lancaster University, and author of two books on Tintin’s creator, Herge. Holding out gallantly against the oppressors will be Peter Kessler, BAFTA award-winning producer and author of ‘The Complete Guide to Asterix’.

Joining them live on stage will be Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard, comic book writer Leah Moore, Australian comics scholar and creator Stuart Medley and Amiens Comics Festival Director Pascal Mériaux. On screen will be a host of comics artists, authors and readers, with the ever-popular comic creator Hannah Berry acting as referee.

Steve and Luke McGarry will be delivering a cartoon ‘documentary’ of the entire Festival over the weekend

To top it all, Luke and Steve McGarry will be bringing their fast-draw cartooning talents to the table illustrating the entire event as it happens.

International and British comic creators – writers, artists, publishers and retailers – are heading to Kendal for a packed weekend of comic celebration in the Lakes in October, crammed with panels, exhibitions, children’s events and other activities. The town will be entirely given over to comics, with business owners lining up to support the Festival’s famous “Windows Trail“, providing store front space to display comics art created by artists and local groups and school children.

While panel events and film screenings are ticketed, the Comics Clock Tower offers plenty of free access to many comic creators and their work, and there’s an exciting line up of free events lined up for children, too, in assorted venues across Kendal.

“Having learned lots of great lessons from our growing audiences and previous international guests, I think we have one of our best programmes yet,” enthuses Festival Director Julie Tait, “It aims to feed the hunger of comic art fans whilst also appealing to those new to it all or, at least, new to a comic art festival of this kind.

“We have some of the most exciting and inspiring artists and writers working in comics, film, animation and gaming from across the globe all descending on what we think is one of the most beautiful towns in the world.”

• Buy your tickets now from The Brewery, Kendal – www.breweryarts.co.uk (Social media short link – http://bit.ly/LICAF16-Tickets) | Box Office 01539 725133 | Email

• For all events information visit the Lakes International Comic Art Festival web site: www.comicartfestival.com | Find the Lakes International Comic Art Festival on Facebook | Follow the Festival on Twitter @comicartfest

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.